From combating artificial intelligence and space connectivity oligopolies, blockchain is being used in different ways to improve the status quo. As the crypto space developed, blockchain use cases expanded from simple digital currencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to more complex areas such as digital identity verification and telecommunications. Ahead of the Token2049 event in Dubai, Cointelegraph spoke with Spacecoin CEO Stuart Gardner, Spacecoin founder Tae Oh, and Humanity Protocol founder Terrence Kwok to explore how they use blockchain to improve certain industries. From addressing challenges like verification in the artificial intelligence era to bringing internet connectivity to developing countries, projects are integrating blockchain to solve problems in different industries. Read more
Stablecoins are gaining renewed momentum, as major banks and payment giants enter the market, but questions remain about their stability, regulatory oversight and the risks posed by centralization and fraud. Opinion by: Merav Ozair, PhD Lately, stablecoins are everywhere — this time around, headed by “traditional” financial institutions. Bank of America and Standard Chartered are considering launching their own stablecoin, joining JPMorgan, which launched its stablecoin, JPM Coin — rebranded as Kinexys Digital Payments — to facilitate transactions with their institutional clients on their blockchain platform, Kinexys (formerly Onyx). Mastercard plans to bring stablecoins to the mainstream, joining Bleap Finance, a crypto startup. The aim is to enable stablecoins to be spent directly onchain — without conversions or intermediaries — seamlessly integrating blockchain assets with Mastercard’s global payment rails. Read more
Electrica, the only Romanian listed company in the field of electricity distribution, supply and production, in which the Romanian state is the biggest shareholder, announced it took out a RON3.1 billion syndicated loan from a bank consortium including Romania’s largest lending institutions, for investments and refinancing.